To all the Women that came before me.

Happy International Women’s day! It’s 2021. We talk and work on women empowerment. We believe we are the strongest, probably the best generation advocating for equality and justice. Ever wondered, what was the role of women a 100 years ago?

India did so many freedom movements. But the 1930 Civil Disobedience movement gave us wide coverage from international media. The whole world was surprised by the success and scale of the movement. But it is a less known fact that women were the driving force behind this success.

The British had monopoly over the manufacture and sale of salt, a basic ingredient of our food. The salt satyagraha aimed at breaking this state law by walking to the seashores and manufacturing our own salt. But women were not welcome into the freedom movement. Stalwarts like Mahatma Gandhi strongly believed that the only duty of women is to look after home, be good mothers and good wives. Even if women were present in the movement, they were keen only on their symbolic presence. Sarojini Naidu, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, and many others had to convince Gandhi to allow women to join the movement. Once women started pouring in, the sheer numeric strength gave a much-needed push. Unlike the previous movements, Women gave themselves a new purpose and commitment in the wake of Indian independence.

With all the pumped-up energy, people marched and marched till they reached the sea. Yay! Now, let’s make salt and break the law!

But who knows how to make salt?

It was women who unleashed their culinary skills to make salt. They spearheaded the movement being the first ones to break the salt law. Women officially launched the civil disobedience movement. Their participation was a massive strength to the national struggle. In this process, they were arrested for breaking the laws. Many women who were deprived of formal education all their lives, self-taught how to read and write. They came out, wrote enlightening novels, and advocated for rights. They fought to abolish Sati and Child Marriage. They fought to promote Widow Remarriage. They started schools to educate women. They carved for themselves a place in the governance of India. Women wrote a new chapter of equality in the modern history of India, whose fruits we all are enjoying as I speak.

Compared to them, what are we even struggling with today?

We stand on an extremely privileged ground. We owe it to all the women who came before us, who fought, who shaped this world into a better place.

Why do we shrink ourselves at the smallest inconvenience?

What prevents us from raising our voice when we see injustice?

When you are in doubt to speak up, When you are afraid, When you think maybe it’s too much for you, think about all those women who led the Indian freedom struggle. You will find your strength to build a fair, just, and equal world.